Share this story

These days when you buy a game, you never know what's going to happen in a few months' time. You could have a patch that changes game play, new maps, new online modes... you name it. Everyone has their own online network and everyone wants to keep feeding you new content to keep your interest. Phil Harrison spoke about some of the updates heading to Resistance: Fall of Man, and I think it's worth remarking on. From Level Up:

... And what's keeping [Resistance] going now is the multiplayer. Now NeoGAF is a small snapshot; there are more people on the IGN message boards or the Gamespot boards. But is that response a harbinger of Resistance having greater legs than its initial sales might have indicated? And when you talk to the publishing side of Playstation, do they have plans for development and marketing and PR to keep that going so that Resistance can continue to find an audience?

Absolutely. We're going to release additional content for Resistance. I don't think we've gone into detail on the schedule, but we have some really, really cool things that will be extending the story, extending the locations, some brand new content, starting in April. So if that works well and is well-received by the audience, then that will keep the engagement with game going between now and should there be a sequel at some point in the future.

This sort of news can do a lot for a game. For one, a strong online game will get you customers; if you are able to build a competitive and popular community around an online game, it's a big win these days. Let's say your friends are having a great time every night playing Resistance. Aren't you going to be more likely to buy a PS3? Not only that, but if you think there are updates coming down the line you're less likely to sell your copy of a game, and less used copies of a game floating around may mean more new sales. There have been many instances of new multiplayer content for online games, but the hint of new single-player content is intriguing.

This is a smart move for Sony, and I'd love to see them get more aggressive with their online gaming strategy. Resistance is a great social experience, but it's one of the few great online games for the PS3. I'm looking forward to that changing in the future.